La Mais on Bleue (Blue House) of Euclideas Da Costa, Dives Sur Mer, France

On an obscure side street in the small village of Dives Sur Mer, Normandy, France is an inspired oddity. A reminent of an era long since gone, a passionate reminder of one’s home land carved into the small space of new surroundings. Euclides da Costa Ferreira made his home away from home in Dives Sur Mer during World War II.

Da Costa , a mason by trade, made his way to France from his home land in Portugal looking for work. Born in 1902 in Porto, Portugal, he traveled to France at the age of 22. He was 57 years old when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) and now unable to work his trade he worked in his small garden and lived a modest life with his wife and a house with no running water. The mild mannered man who could not read and had no formal training would later be recognized for his Brut art style mosaic work and it would became become his legacy .

Over 20 years what started out as profound sadness and a willingness to build a monument to a dog turned into something he did not dream it would be. His plan, build a mausoleum dedicated to the dog Laïka, who was sent into space on the Russian spaceship Sputnik. He for whatever reason, felt the dog died a lonely death, somewhere in outer space. This was enough to inspire him using discarded pieces of of glass, tile and china from local garbage to build the first mosaic monument topped by a replica of Sputnik. He was then inspired to create more and more until he had what you see today. Several buildings and full garden of mosaic works dot the site. His many works shows nature in the form of flowers, birds and animals but also with a lot of a religious presence. The addition of a chapel as a focal point was due to his deep religious faith.

Da Costa died in 1984 and the township of Dives Sur Mer took ownership of the house and gardens a few days before the death of Mrs Da Costa in 1989. The artist’s work was not officially recognized until after his death. It was listed as a historic facility in 1991 and in 2011 work began to preserve his work for future generations. Today this little blue house is quite famous, appearing in a few international publications and television productions. You can visit La Maison Bleue de Da Costa only on specific days and times of the year.

Seek out their website https://sites.google.com/maisonbleuedacosta.fr/maisonbleuedacosta/la-maison-bleue?authuser=0 and if you in the Normandy area please take time to visit this charming site. The site is handicapped accessible and stroller accessible. There are no toilets available on site but one is located within a short walking distance along with parking.